Will computerised land records make your life easier?

E Jayashree Kurup
21 September 2013, 12:10 AM IST

Did you know that while you run from pillar to post securing property related documents, it is quite possible that the land records in your state have already been computerised? At an interactive session with industry and media, Minister for Rural Development, Jairam Ramesh revealed that land records in 4 states - Haryana, Gujarat, Karnataka and Tripura - have already been computerised and made up-to-date. The computerisation of land records in Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh are about 95 per cent complete. However, this was immediately interjected by a landowner member in the audience who said he still has to deal with patwaris in Haryana to get details of his land parcel.

The initiative needs to be launded, though, as it is expected that in three years all states would have concluded the activity. This massive Rs 1000 crore per year exercise is an essential corollary to the success of the recent Land Acquisition Bill that was passed in Parliament and replaced the 100 year old law that it replaced. If the minister's expectation is to be believed, these will also go online soon.

Computerisation of land records is especially important in a scenario where the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act 2013 is laying down norms of acquisition and compensation. The biggest stumbling block in the process of land acquisition is ensuring that titles are easy to verify.

So how does this impact you as a land owner. When you need to buy a plot of land, you need to know that all the title deeds and property records are in order. Many places around the world have this information available online. In India, this is locked in patwari or municipal offices in dusty files that require much persuasion and many greasy palms before these documents can be checked. But Minister Jairam Ramesh promises that in three years time, all records will be available online. Then your run from Patwari to Municipality office and back will indeed become painless and shorter.